Handling of drill string components for transfer of the components between a magazine and a rock drill rig is today generally made manually in many rock drill rigs. This manual handling is, however, risky and stressful for the operator and might therefore lead to serious injuries because of accidents with e.g. falling drill string components. The handling also results in a risk for persons required to lift and position often heavy as well as cumbersome and long drill string components to be subject to strain injuries.
From AU-B-64377/96 is previous known a drill string component handling device, wherein a drill string component is placed in a support being comprised of a holder having a one way hole. The holder is pivotal and movable between desired positions for a held drill component.
A problem with the device according to said AU-document is the lacking precision resulting when the drill string component is to be connected to the drill string because of length and weight of the drill string in combination with holding at only one end of the drill string component: This poses problems with the control and unwanted great variation of the position of a free end of the drill string component.
Lacking precision in at this stage tends to lead to risks for thread damages on the drill string component. The construction is also required to use specially made details which is expected to result in a relatively high cost.
As an example of tube handling devices with grippers having two gripping claws being positioned at a distance from each other can be mentioned WO 2007/115375.